Tag Archives: travel

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Hernshead, Autumn

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Hernshead, Autumn
A person sits on the Hernshead outcropping among fall colors, Central Park, Manhattan.

Hernshead, Autumn. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A person sits on the Hernshead outcropping among fall colors, Central Park, Manhattan.

We were in New York City for a few days before Thanksgiving. (We left early to avoid the holiday rush.) Our two sons and daughters-in-law live and work there, and they have told us for years to come during spring and autumn instead of our usual winter and summer visits. They are right. — Manhattan was full of lovely fall colors, not just here in the “wilds” of Central Park,” but even along busy streets and avenues. This photograph juxtaposes one of the park’s rocky outcroppings, “The Lake,” autumn trees, and a bit of the Manhattan skyline.

There is always something new to discover or learn about the place. For example, take the name “Hernshead.” Before sharing this photograph I looked at maps to see if the spot has a name, and I discovered that it does. But it is a strange word. If you asked me what “Hernshead” means I might have said, “Don’t know, but maybe someone’s name?” I would have been wrong. According to the Park Conservancy, it was named when the park was created in the 1800s because the outcropping’s shape suggested the form of a heron’s head… and “hern” is apparently an old, alternate spelling of “heron.”

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Street Vendor Belts

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Street Vendor Belts
A rack of belts at a street market in Florence, Italy.

Street Vendor Belts. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A rack of belts at a street market in Florence, Italy.

I photographed this rack of (presumably knockoff) belts in all colors and textures along a bustling and crowded street market outside of the Mercato Centrale building in Florence. Given the heavy tourist traffic in this city, it is no surprise that this market is extensive and crowded. Eventually I will likely share photographs that show more of the market, unlike this one which is just about the colors and shapes of the products on this rack.

These markets are in pretty much every European city that we have visited — from Italy to Kosovo — and especially in those oriented to tourist traffic. I have mixed feelings about them. On one hand, they seem to employ a lot of folks, and if you are careful you can probably get some stuff for very low prices. On the other hand, there’s a lot of items of questionable vintage, and if you think you are getting something of great value, well, just be careful!

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Black Oak Trees, Morning Haze

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Black Oak Trees, Morning Haze
Haze from a managed burn drifts among black oak trees in morning light, Yosemite Valley.

Black Oak Trees, Morning Haze. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Haze from a managed burn drifts among black oak trees in morning light, Yosemite Valley.

During my November 1 fall color foray to Yosemite Valley, I ended up spending a lot of time photographing these black oaks. In addition to providing the expected fall color, smoke from a nearby managed fire drifted in and out, varying from quite thick to just enough to add some atmosphere. The haze made the light more visible, sometimes producing light beams among the silhouetted trees.

For this composition I decided to use the dark shapes of closer trees to frame more brightly lit trees out in the meadow. On a technical note, managing the extreme dynamic range between the highlights of backlit leaves and the deep shadows in the foreground and near the sides was a challenge. As always, the trick was to try to get enough shadow detail to work with in post while avoiding blown out highlights.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Siena Backstreet

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Siena Backstreet
Pedestrians round a corner on a narrow Siena street lined with tall buildings.

Siena Backstreet. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Pedestrians round a corner on a narrow Siena street lined with tall buildings.

During our 2023 European travels we finally returned to Siena after missing earlier opportunities to go there during the pandemic. Seven years earlier we were there for literally only hours, spending an afternoon on a day trip from where we were staying in Chianti. We were entranced by the city, with its remarkable maze of narrow streets and large central plaza, Il Campo.

We made a point of scheduling a longer say on this return visit, with time to wander the streets, sit in cafes and restaurants, visit important sites, and make photographs. This scene is along a non-busy (remarkable, yes?) back street that roughly parallels two much busier thoroughfares. The narrow width of the route, the tall buildings, and the varied colors and textures are typical of this area.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

Scroll down to leave a comment or question. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.